The last few years have seen Canada-based duo Ummagma establish themselves as foremost proponents of the shoegaze / nu-gaze revival, and not without reason. They’ve successfully captured the spirit of the original shoegaze era of the early 90s, while injecting fresh ideas into the genre and adding new dimensions to the sound which defined the bands which encapsulate the style.
The opening track in this mini-album, ‘Orion’ is exemplary of Ummagma’s ability to draw on the past while reflecting the emergence of a new present, as chiming synths drop like melting icicles over a softly dreamy background which wafts over a Curesque bassline.
‘Lama’ provides the album’s axis, a metronomic Roland beat pumping away alongside a driving bassline beneath cascading guitars, all of which combine to provide a pulsating backdrop to gloriously dreamy vocals. The chorus is understated but subtly infectious, and in combination, they come together to create a shimmering pop tune which at 5:01 feels way, way too short.
|
The five original tracks are accompanied by remixes of ‘Lama’, and the contributors of those remixes shows that Ummagma have won the respect of their forbears. It’s not every band who would find Cocteau Twin Robin Guthrie and OMD’s Malcolm Holmes willing to whip up a mix, after all. Their reworkings are very different, but also very nice indeed, the former’s accentuating the drifting anthemic qualities of the song, the latter’s interpretation being an altogether more direct and dancefloor-friendly take on pop. Credit is also due to Lights That Change for their goth-tinged take on the track, led by brittle guitars, and in all, it’s pretty tasty.
Ummagma Online
|
